Teenage Kicks
by Glass Vial
Summary: The children of the Umbrella Academy are fourteen years old. Vanya returns from boarding school one summer, and after another round of scolding from Hargreeves Diego decides to get her out of the house.
1. Escape

Tears stung in Vanya's eyes as Doctor Hargreeves scolded her again.

"You're useless, Number Seven. I don't know _why _I even bother." He sighed. "Why don't you go and practise your violin, and leave the real work to your brothers and sister?"

"But Dad -"

"Don't call me 'Dad', you know that. And no buts. The violin is all you are good at, so you might as well become _exceptional _at it." He turned away, and a tear snaked down her pale cheek.

She closed her eyes, trying to compose herself, and felt someone move in front of her.

"Stop telling her she's useless." Diego snarled. Vanya opened her eyes again, and watched her 'brother' tense as Hargreeves turned back to face them.

"Number Two, in the fourteen years you have been in my care, you haven't learnt to keep your mouth shut. I suggest you try learning now." He glared at the boy, then left them.

"Diego . . ." Vanya murmured. "You don't have to . . . _D__efend _me all the time . . ."

"Yes, I do." He turned to face her, and gently wiped the tears away. "C'mon." He took her hand and pulled her out of the house.

"Where are we going?"

"You want to get out, right?" Diego raised an eyebrow.

"Out _where_?"

"Just away from this goddamn house."

"Well, yeah, I do."

"Then follow me and don't ask questions." He smiled mischievously. Dr Pogo watched the two teenagers leaving the houses grounds from his room. He sighed to himself.

"Maybe she can teach him to be more responsible . . . And maybe he can show her that she's not alone . . ." He took a sip of his coffee and turned to Mrs Hargreeves. "What do you think?"

"I think you might be right, Pogo. I just hope Diego can control himself while they're out there . . ."


	2. Family Ties

"She's only been back here for three days, and he's already upset her enough for her to have been back for three _months_." Klaus observed. He and his 'siblings' were sat in the garden of the house. It was the beginning of the summer break, and they had nothing better to do. "That's Dad for you, no tact at all."

"I heard a rumor-" Allison began, but Luther cut her off.

"Remember our agreement, no using our powers on each other." He reminded her.

"Right . . . Sorry." She looked down at the grass.

"But yeah, I know what you mean, Klaus. He always seems to take everything out on her."

"Until Diego steps in." Ben pointed out.

"Where _is_ Diego?" Allison frowned. "Has he run off again?"

"Yeah, but he's gone with Vanya." Klaus informed them. The four of them sighed in unison, and tried to think of something 'normal' kids would talk about.

Diego and Vanya walked through the city streets. They didn't exactly blend in, but they weren't wearing their masks, at least.

"What's it like? At your school?" Diego asked her.

"It's . . . Nothing special." She shrugged. "There are teachers, other kids and lessons. Same as every other school, except it's a boarding school."

"Do you miss _anything_ about this place when you're there?"

"Some things." Vanya smiled wryly.

"What?" He raised an eyebrow.

"A certain person."

"What, _me_?"

"_Yes_. Ben, Klaus and Pogo too, but you the most. I've always been the closest to you, Diego."

Diego stared at her, then realised what he was doing and regained his usual look of indifference.

"Oh." He muttered.

"You never change." Vanya couldn't help but laugh.

"Don't pretend you mind." Diego shot a smile her way. Because real, genuine smiles from him were so rare, it always made her feel special when she got one out of him.

"Of course I don't." They were interrupted by the sound of a police siren.

"Lupo." Diego muttered.

"What?"

"I need to find something out, Vanya. Just . . Stay _here_, okay?" He pushed her gently into the doorway of a coffee shop. "I'll be back in ten minutes, I promise." Before she could say another word, he'd run off.

"Can I get you anything, hon?" A waitress walked over to her as she flopped into a seat. With a sigh, Vanya dug into her pocket to find her money. She'd _never_ understand Diego.


	3. Confrontation

"Hey! Hey, you!"

Vanya turned around. It was half an hour later and the coffee shop had closed so she was out in the street. Diego hadn't come back, surprise surprise. A group of kids a few years older than her were stood across the street, yelling at her.

"Aren't you one of Hargreeves' kids?" A boy raised an eyebrow.

"'Course she is, look at the uniforfm!" The blonde girl sneered.

"I thought he didn't let them out of that fucking huge house." The same boy pointed out. "Not unless they need to 'save the world'." They all started to laugh.

"Hey, what number are you?" The smallest boy yelled over to her.

Vanya didn't reply.

"Well there's only two girls, and she's not the Rumor. So that means she's Number Seven." The blonde girl pointed out. They walked closer to her.

"What's _your _power?"

"Why do we never see you with the others?"

"Do you even _have _a power? Are you special at all?"

"Why won't you talk to us, eh Number Seven?" The blonde girl put an arm around Vanya's shoulders, and she tensed. "Is that your 'special power', not talking?" They were irritating her now, but she was worried, too. There was something sinister in their eyes. "Or is it just that you're so utterly pathetic that Hargreeves' won't let you get involved incase you cock things up?"

"Go away." Vanya muttered through clenched teeth.

"Sorry, didn't quite catch that." The short boy smirked.

"I said _go away_." She raised her voice.

"Getting annoyed, are we?" The first boy laughed, pushing her against the wall. "We'll soon put a stop to -"

He broke off, crying out in pain as a knife slashed his cheek.

"Piss off! The three of you!" Diego yelled, practically throwing the boy off Vanya. The other two looked terrified as they ran to help him up. The boy didn't even look at Diego and Vanya as he and his friends ran. "Are you all right?" He turned to Vanya, concerned.

"I'm fine - where the hell were you?" She replied, her relief at him saving her quickly turning into irritation at him indirectly putting her in that situation in the first place.

"I went to find Lupo - y'know the police Inspector - and it turned out he needed _my_ help as much as I needed his."

He was being deliberately vague. As much as he trusted Vanya - more than anyone else in that godforsaken house - he didn't want any of them knowing what he was helping Lupo deal with. It wasn't that he wanted to be the hero - hell, he wasn't Luther! It was just that there were some things better left unsaid.

And besides, Hargreeves would kill him. Slowly and painfully.

"You're not gonna tell me why you needed to find him, are you?" She sighed eventually.

"No." He admitted. "But I'm sorry I broke my promise." He took her hand, and they started to walk through the city again.


End file.
